Want faster US visa interview? This city can help you
27 Apr 2026

The US Department of State has released its latest global visa wait time data, revealing significant variations in interview timelines for the US visas across Indian cities.

As of April 15, 2026, Chennai emerges as the fastest city to secure an appointment for a visitor visa.

The average wait time for B1/B2 visitor visas in Chennai is around four months, with the next available appointment also at about four months.

Mumbai and Kolkata's situation
Comparison

In contrast to Chennai's relatively shorter wait time, other major Indian cities like Mumbai and Kolkata are facing longer delays.

The average wait time for a B1/B2 visitor visa in Mumbai is around seven months with the next available appointment at about 7.5 months.

Kolkata also has a similar situation with both average and next available appointments taking around seven months.

Hyderabad and New Delhi's timelines
Other cities

Hyderabad has an average wait time of five months for a B1/B2 visitor visa, but the next available appointment is further out at eight months. Meanwhile, New Delhi's average wait time is also five months, with the next available interview slot taking about seven months.

Student, work visa categories have shorter queues
Visa categories

For student and exchange visas (F, M, J categories), Indian cities have much shorter wait times.

Chennai has availability in around one month while Mumbai and New Delhi also report similar timelines.

Work visa categories like H, L, O, P Q also have shorter queues with most Indian cities reporting availability within just one to three months.

What does State Department say?
Clarification

The State Department clarified that the "next available appointment" is an estimate of when an interview slot can be secured, while the "average wait time" measures how long the applicants waited last month from fee payment to interview date.

It also noted that the new appointment slots are released regularly, and applicants may be able to reschedule for an earlier date if availability improves.